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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28132959">royal straight flush</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/strangelysweet/pseuds/strangelysweet'>strangelysweet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Con Artists, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Attempt at Humor, Bad Flirting, Bickering, Con Artists, Drinking, Fluff, Found Family, Jealousy, M/M, Making Out, Romantic Tension, Shoplifting, Smoking, Sumire is a Ray of Sunshine, Theft, gays who can cook but can't drive, gays who can drive but can't cook, it's a "four times ___ and one time ____" kinda fic, sometimes a family is a pair of swindlers and a tiny fluffball of a girl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:40:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,604</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28132959</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/strangelysweet/pseuds/strangelysweet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sighing, Goro started the car, throwing his scarf over his shoulder. It hit the backseat, and the backseat yelped. His hands hovering over the wheel, Goro's eyebrow quirked upwards, and he slowly turned to look at Akira. He swallowed, staring at his partner's face as Goro turned to look over his shoulder.<br/>Sitting in the backseat was a young girl, probably not a day out of middle school. She was dressed in a red cardigan and a black and white houndstooth pinafore. Her red hair was hanging loose around her shoulders, and there was a small space between her fringe and her glasses where Goro could see raised eyebrows.<br/>Akira, who was peering around the passenger seat, let out a low "Oh, fuck me."</p><p>--</p><p>Four times Yoshizawa Sumire watches Akechi Goro and Kurusu Akira's con acts work brilliantly, and one time she watches it fail.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro &amp; Amamiya Ren &amp; Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>90</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. ten of spades</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>for once, there are no content warnings.<br/>happy reading!!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nevada</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The cards fanned out on the table, and as Akira's hand hovered over one of them, the lady with the opal ring the size of an egg cleared her throat. </p><p>"Wait," She said, her satin gloves rustling as she pointed at the card herself. "<em>This </em>one." </p><p>Grinning, Akira nodded, drawing the card from the deck. "Very well, madam. Is this your card?" </p><p>A ripple of shocked gasps and delighted squeals erupted from the audience, and the woman with the giant opal nods vigorously, her earrings bouncing above her shoulders. The applause thundered, and Akira gathered all of the cards back into their box. Banknotes fluttered onto the velvet tablecloth, and he swept them into a neat pile, nodding in thanks. The woman with the opal offered her hand out to shake, and Akira kissed it, then brought his other hand underneath hers to slide the ring off her finger. </p><p>"Your earrings are lovely," He said, pointing to the emeralds hanging from her ears. </p><p>She blushed, batting her eyelashes and raising her other hand to her painted lips. "Thank you."</p><p>A hand from the crowd pulled on the one behind his back, and Akira gave a final, extravagant bow to his audience. "Goodnight! Thank you for your breathtaking performance." </p><p>An annoyed huff came from behind him, and Akira smirked, snatching the velvet table cloth and folding it up as he walked back to the car. Sliding into the passenger seat, he waited for a few moments, examining his nails in the dim light. Then, the other door opened, and his partner ducked inside, his scarf pulled up around his nose. </p><p>"You," He said, "are a diva." </p><p>Akira snorted. "I'm a performer, Goro, and that was my best yet." </p><p>Goro took his scarf off, ruffling his hair. "You say that every time." </p><p>Bringing the opal ring out of his pocket, Akira raised the gem into the light. It glistened in the dim glow of the car lights, and Goro squinted at it, his hand resting just on top of Akira's. They paused, glancing at each other quickly, but the dark-haired man cleared his throat, placing the ring in his waistcoat pocket. Sighing, Goro started the car, throwing his scarf over his shoulder. It hit the backseat, and the backseat yelped. His hands hovering over the wheel, Goro's eyebrow quirked upwards, and he slowly turned to look at Akira. He swallowed, staring at his partner's face as Goro turned to look over his shoulder. </p><p>Sitting in the backseat was a young girl, probably not a day out of middle school. She was dressed in a red cardigan and a black and white houndstooth pinafore. Her red hair was hanging loose around her shoulders, and there was a small space between her fringe and her glasses where Goro could see raised eyebrows. </p><p>Akira, who was peering around the passenger seat, let out a low "Oh, <em>fuck</em> <em>me</em>." </p><p>"What the hell do we do? We can't pass the border like this. How are we going to get to Britsh Columbia?" Goro whispered sharply, gripping the side of his seat. </p><p>Akira raised a hand to his mouth, his dark eyes wide. "Did I just swear in front of a child? How old are you?" </p><p>The girl looked up, folding her hands in her lap over the scarf, smiling sweetly. "I'm fifteen!" </p><p>"Oh, my god." Akira groaned, running his hand through his hair. </p><p>Goro smacked him on the arm, glaring sharply at him. "Don't fucking talk to her, you fuckwit!"</p><p>Gasping, Akira gave his partner a scandalized look, raising a hand to his chest. "A child, Goro, you swore twice in front of a <em>child</em>." </p><p>Said child in the backseat watched with a pleasant smile on her face, watching the two go back and forth. After a while, the squabbling turned into a meager fistfight, with the dark-haired man swatting the brown-haired man, Goro, over the head with a rolled-up map. </p><p>Popping her head between the seats, she looked up at the man with dark, curly hair and said, very simply, "Where are we going?" </p><p>He looked down at her with surprise, and he instinctively answered, "Canada." </p><p>"Akira!" Goro chastised. </p><p>Scoffing, Akira waved the map in the air. "Oh, she can read what's on the map. You weren't exactly subtle." </p><p>He gestured to the red circle over Canada and the red arrows pointing to Vancouver. Scowling, Goro snatched the map from him, rolling it up and stuffing it in the glove compartment. "Shut up." </p><p>The girl smiled brightly, leaning forward to place a hand on the back of Akira's seat. "Your sleight of hand trick was wonderful! You were very impressive." </p><p>"Why, thank you," He said, giving Goro a pointed look. As he did so, the faint sound of sirens started to wail, and the red and blue lights shone brightly through the streets. The smug smile fell from the dark-haired young man's face. "Goro, we have to go." </p><p>"With the kid? I don't think so." He protested, but as the sirens grew louder and Akira's face grew angrier, he sighed and stepped on the gas pedal. "You're a fucking menace to society." </p><p>"You don't have to worry about me, " Said the girl. "My parents are dead and my sister thinks I'm at boarding school. My name is Sumire."</p><p>How she said it without shedding a tear or even looking remotely sad was beyond the two scam artists, but it honestly didn't matter. The car was in motion and she didn't have anywhere else to go, so Goro and Akira simply rolled with it. After all, a true con artist can work under any circumstances.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. jack of spades</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Oregon</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Akira had never seen someone as tiny as Sumire wolf down a burger as fast as she did. By the time he had finished his drink, she had practically vacuumed the entire plate. Returning to the booth, Goro rolled his shoulder, wincing as he heard a crack. </p><p>"We're a few miles away from the Oregon border," He said, tucking his phone in his back pocket. "We're a little low on funds, though. At this rate, we should last until Washington." </p><p>Frowning, Akira leaned on his hand. "That's only two states. I don't like our chances." </p><p>The lights outside the twenty-four diner flickered, but the neon sign that hung above the bar glowed steadily, bright pink and glaring against the grimy countertop. Looking up at her two companions, Sumire started on her fries, dipping one of them into her milkshake. </p><p>"I've never heard you say that before, Akira." Goro lilted, crossings his arms over his chest. "Perhaps you're getting slow. What do <em>you </em>think, Sumire?"</p><p>Sumire thought that dipping french fries in milkshakes is the atheist's equivalent to heaven, but that is probably not the answer that Goro was looking for. So instead of singing her food's praises, she nodded, looking at the dark-haired man from across the table. </p><p>"Maybe he's old." She stated, munching on a fry with glee. It didn't matter Goro was older than him by around a year or so. </p><p>Making the most insulted face she had ever seen, Akira exhaled sharply, as if coming to terms with the fact he had just been called old. "Wow. <em>Huh</em>. Maybe we should have left you in Vegas." </p><p>Goro adjusted his scarf, sliding into the booth to sit next to his partner and expertly stealing one of his fries when he wasn't looking. "In all seriousness, Akira has a point. It would be nice to have some more cash. There's a pawnshop across the street. We could pull a classic 'I forgot the receipt,' or maybe the 'false argument?'"</p><p>"Can I help?" Sumire asked, her voice small. </p><p>Chewing his lip, Akira glanced at Goro, fiddling with his hands. "I'm not so sure. I mean, we've only known you for a month and a bit, so I'm not sure you should be helping us pull off this one."</p><p>Ignoring his partner's statement, the brown-haired young man nodded. "All hands on deck, as they say. Remember what I taught you about the art of shoplifting?" </p><p>Cheerfully, the teen agreed, rattling off the rule. "'Never let them catch you looking guilty!'"</p><p>As they all exited the diner, Akira ran a hand through his hair, the cold air pinching his ears and nose red. "Have you ever had a morally correct thought in your life?" </p><p>"Probably not," Goro said, pulling on his gloves. "But you like it like that, don't you?" </p><p>As he walked off, tousling his hair over his eyes and pulling his scarf further up his face, Sumire elbowed Akira in the side, stifling laughter as his face turned even pinker. This time, she was sure it wasn't from the cold but from the heat. </p><p> </p><p>As Goro and Akira argued, both with the tired cashier and between themselves, Sumire managed to get three big handfuls of pearl necklaces into the pockets of her coat. She loitered around the instruments, tracing her fingers over the strings of a large cello leaning against the wall. Oddly enough, those weeks had been one of the best weeks of her entire life. With dead parents and a virtuosic prodigy of a sister, unassuming Sumire didn't have a place at a fancy boarding school. Concerning Kasumi, she would have been very much against the entire thing, firstly with the fact that Sumire broke into someone's care and forced them to take her on their "road trip" to get away from an expensive school. She also would have disliked the general idea of theft and con artistry. But in all honesty, Kasumi's taste was always questionable and, more often than not, it made her sound like a 45-year-old woman whose main hobby was riding her exercise bike and pretending to like her children. </p><p>Slipping an ornate brooch with what looked like gold plating into her pocket, she realized that the argument was starting to peak, so she began her part of the con - leaving. Although it was a step up from last time, where she waited in the car as Goro swindled some poor idiot, Sumire couldn't help but want to be involved more. Grimacing, she began making exaggerated faces within the view of the cashier, sending her impromptu partners in crime dirty looks, until she finally left, hightailing it back to the car as her heart hammered in her chest. Opening the back door and emptying her jingling pockets into the small box that the pair kept underneath the driver's seat, the redhead grinned as she clocked Akira storming out of the store with his prize. Nestled gently in his left hand, Akira held a Fabergé egg replica that could go for a lot if entered for an auction nearby. He opened the car door, sliding into the front seat and passing her the egg, ruffling her hair affectionately as she placed it with the other items. </p><p>"You did well, kiddo." He said fondly, glancing in the rearview mirror to look for his partner. "Got some real light fingers there." </p><p>She beamed up at him proudly. "Thank you. I take back what I said: you're not old, and you're not slow." </p><p>"Thank you, <em>really</em>, for showing me the bare minimum." He drawled, fiddling with a few stray curls on his head. </p><p>A moment later, Goro was striding triumphantly down the street, plastic bag in hand. As he neared the car, he glanced over his shoulder, then gave a charming wave to someone Sumire couldn't see. Then, in one fluid motion, he got into the car, tossed the bag to Akira, and stepped on the gas, groping for the map in the glove compartment. </p><p>"Well, that was a walk in the park." He said breezily, a smug grin on his face. "You did well, Sumire. I'm impressed." </p><p>Akira frowned, handing the redheaded girl the plastic bag. "How come I never get praise? I'm always good." </p><p>"It's called discipline. If I treat you too nicely, you'll go soft, and honestly, that's the last thing we want." The brown-haired young man joked, but his eyes were sharp as he met Akira's eyes in the rearview mirror. "And, let's be truthful here, you like it." </p><p>Bringing a hand to his face to pinch the bridge of his nose, his partner sighed. "May I remind you that there is a <em>child </em>in this car?" </p><p>Sumire snorted, covering her mouth with her hand. </p><p>"I didn't say anything rude. Where was your mind going, Akira?" Goro said, an air of fake innocence about him. </p><p>As the box clicked shut, Sumire rolled her eyes. It was impossible to stop their bickering, so all she could do was wait for them to stop being idiots. They really were, weren't they?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. queen of spades</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Almost Washington</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>CW: Alcohol, Smoking</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Yoshizawa Sumire, on God, I will ship you back to Vegas in a box full of bees." Akira threatened, a wild look in his eye. </p><p>The teenaged girl froze, looking tentatively at Goro, whose head was in his hands and his shoulders were shaking. She glanced back at her former friend, her hands trembling. </p><p>"I'm sorry, I really am." She said quietly, looking downward. "It wasn't meant to be like this." </p><p>Furious, Akira stared at her in a quiet rage, his knuckles white. From Sumire's left, Goro let out a pitiful sound of defeat, appearing devastated as he sat up slowly, his face blotchy and red. A wave of guilt washed over her like a tsunami wrecking a city, but she knew what she had to do. She couldn't keep letting them use her like this. </p><p>"Akira, please, just accept this. It has to happen." Goro muttered, rubbing his face with the palm of his hand. He turned to his redheaded associate, "Go on, you <em>traitor</em>." </p><p>Sighing, Sumire nodded. "... Uno." </p><p>Akira promptly let out a loud, "Fuck!" and placed his cards face down on the table. </p><p>"This is the third fucking time, Akira," Goro wheezed, laughing hysterically. "You really should pick up on her tells." </p><p>Huffing in frustration, Akira ignored him, placing a draw-four on the card pile. "Maybe <em>you </em>should, you asshat." </p><p>"You can't do that!" Goro protested. "You absolutely have both a different three and a green card. Wait, hold on, you literally have a green three -"</p><p>Snatching his cards away from his nosy partner's face, Akira stuck his tongue out. Sumire snorted with laughter. Little did they know, her last card was a draw-four as well. </p><p>"Well, what are you going to do about it?" Akira purred, leaning down to give Goro a devious look. </p><p>Narrowing his eyes and rolling his sleeves up, the brown-haired young man gave him a once-over, eyes flicking downward. "Oh, I'll <em>show </em>you what I'm going to do about it." </p><p>Immediately wishing that she was anywhere but there, Sumire coughed awkwardly, and the two sprang apart, staring intently at their card hands. As he muttered something about "inciting violence in front of an innocent pair of eyes," Goro eyed his hand, glancing up to the one card in Sumire's grasp. Ignoring Akira's groans of impatience, he meticulously studied each of his cards, unaware that resistance was futile. He looked so proud of himself as he tossed down his green seven that it almost hurt to place down her own wild card. <em>Almost</em>. </p><p>Grinning in triumph, she stood up, her arms in the air as she cheered in jubilation. "Yeah! Second win in a row!" </p><p>Getting up from his seat at the table, Akira sighed, opening up the minifridge they had just restocked with ill-gotten money. It wasn't really ill-gotten if how they did it was executed so well, though, so Sumire had no qualms with it. They had rented a campervan after selling the old car, much to Goro's disappointment. Not only did it have more room, but it saved them the cost of motel rooms. </p><p>Goro launched himself over the back of the chair to slide into the driver's seat, turning the keys with vigor. "Alright, Washington, here we come." </p><p> </p><p>Not even eight miles from the border, they ran out of gas. Sumire had awoken from her nap, drooling onto her pillow in her makeshift cupboard bed, to much swearing and other colorful language. Now, they were pulled up outside Astoria, trying their best to stay as inconspicuous as possible. The gas station they were parked in didn't open until six, so as Akira slept, Goro sat in the doorway of the car, a cigarette hanging from his lips. With a bottle of cider in one hand and the scent of tobacco hanging around him, he was halfway to becoming an all-American redneck. She was joking. <em>Obviously</em>. Dropping down from her bunk as quietly as possible, she tiptoed past Akira's sleeping body on the small couch. </p><p>"The stars are nice tonight," Goro said, taking a sip of his cider. </p><p>Sitting beside him, Sumire's hands clasped in front of her shins as she perched in the doorframe. "Can't you sleep?"</p><p>He shook his head. "I've always had a problem with it. It's just never seemed like the right time. Always too much happening to really be still." </p><p>They sat in companionable silence, looking up at the stars from underneath the gas station's roof. The thick scent of petrol and cigarette smoke hung in the air, and as Sumire wrinkled her nose, Goro dropped it and ground the heel of his shoe against the ground to put it out. </p><p>"That's another one of my bad habits. I'm sorry." He muttered, tapping his index finger on the neck of the bottle. </p><p>The lights glowed green through it, reflecting pale lime-colored light onto the concrete. Sumire bit her lip, intertwining her fingers together. "Thank you. For letting me tag along, I mean. This means a lot to me." </p><p>"Of course. Even if it was accidental, we're glad to have you onboard." Before the silence could stretch out again, Goro's brow knitted. "My parents died when I was about your age. You're dealing with it a lot better than I did."</p><p>Raising her eyebrow, Sumire smiled quizzically. "By running away with two swindlers and fleeing to Canada? I'm pretty sure you can't top that." </p><p>"Oh, yeah?" Goro grinned, a wild glint in his eyes. "What about arson?" </p><p>She laughed until she realized he wasn't joking. </p><p> </p><p>That morning, Akira woke up an inspired man. </p><p>"I have it! I just need someone to -" Akira cut himself off as an expensive-looking car pulled into the parking lot. "Jackpot! Sumire, follow me. You're going to watch me in my natural habitat." </p><p>Rising from the floor, his hair adrift like he was underwater, Goro let out a disgruntled noise of curiosity. With his shirt hanging from a hanger above the left window, he was left in his white vest and jeans, the stark opposite of his usually sharply-dressed self. All he could do was watch from the open doorway as Akira strode over to the car, tucking his hair out of his face as he did so. Sumire, on the other hand, skulked around the back, waiting by a tall pillar. A tall man in a suit stepped out of the car as Akira got closer, and from that distance, Goro couldn't quite tell what they were saying. He tried to catch the redheaded teenager's attention, attempting to understand the situation more, but she was hidden from sight. Curse her well-learned skills! </p><p>Sighing, Goro was about to turn on his heel and go back to sleep when he caught it out of the corner of his eye: the signal. During the small amount of time where the brown-haired young man didn't keep his eyes trained on his partner, Akira had somehow gotten the businessman wrapped around his finger and was now kissing him against the bonnet of his fancy Porsche. The strange sensation of thinking that what Akira was doing was a complete and utter betrayal (for no good reason) and thinking that what he was doing was intensely hot made Goro feel dizzy. Jealousy coursed through his veins like liquid mercury. The sight alone felt like three consecutive punches to his stomach, and he choked on his own saliva as the businessman's hand reached a lot lower than Akira's back. As he was sticking his tongue down some stranger's throat, Goro spied Sumire dashing over to their own gas pump, swiping the card and filling the tank. </p><p>"What the fuck?" He hissed, leaning out of the car. </p><p>Placing her index finger to her lips, Sumire gave him the silent signal to stay quiet, then sprinted back to the other gas pump to slot the credit card back in the opening. Looking back at his partner, Goro watched in befuddlement as Akira somehow slid even closer to the businessman, allowing Sumire to escape. As soon as she was inside, she rapped on the door twice, and Akira leaned back, running his thumb over his lips. Before Goro could ask Sumire what the hell they were doing, the dark-haired man swung into the campervan, hanging on the roof as he did so. </p><p>"Boom. I'm a genius." He said, lips swollen and slightly pink from his passionate kiss with the man in the suit.</p><p>Glaring daggers at his partner, Goro turned on his heel and sat down in the driver's seat, motioning for Sumire to close the door. "Wow. Real impressive. I'm so impressed." </p><p>"Usually, your sarcasm is better than that," Akira remarked, slumping down in the passenger seat, bringing his knee up to his chest. "Everything okay?" </p><p>Adjusting his vice-like grip on the wheel, Goro checked the rearview mirror to see if Sumire was sitting down before reversing sharply out of the parking lot and going 30mph over the speed limit. </p><p>"<em>Just </em><em>fine</em>." </p>
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